Teen rises to fame channeling Johnny Cash

Summary

Discovered singing on a Seattle street, Vince Mira, 15, is a somewhat shy kid who looks uncomfortable during a TV interview. But when he steps up to the microphone to sing Johnny Cash's classic "Ring of Fire," the result is downright spooky. He performs the song in this Good Morning America segment.




VIA: KATU.com

Hat Tip; REE

MD. State Police Looking For Hit and Run Driver

Maryland State Police from the Berlin Barracks are looking for the public’s help after a disabled Vietnam veteran was hit by an SUV while walking his dog on Route 113 in Pocomoke City.

Paul Hudson, 71, was walking his dog near Smitty’s Garage on Route 113 when he was hit by a black SUV and knocked out of his wheelchair. Hudson was helped back into his wheelchair, his dead dog placed into his lap and left. He was taken to PRMC in Salisbury to be treated for his injuries. Hudson’s dog was killed in the accident.

HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES, REQUEST PUBLICS HELP

CASE # MVAR 1196001255

DATE & TIME: 3/5/11 2:50 – 3:00 PM

LOCATION: Southbound US 113 at Smitty’s Garage

VEHICLE / OPERATOR #1. Unknown Black Sports Utility Vehicle

INJURIES & TRANSPORTED LOCATION:

Paul Franklin Hudson Sr, 71 YOA of Pockomoke, MD

Extent of Injuries are being evaluated at this time, and is being transported to PRMC.

On 3/5/11 at approximately 3:00 PM, 71 year old Pocomoke resident Paul Hudson was walking his dog in the area of US 113 & Smitty’s when a black SUV struck him. Hudson is a disabled Vietnam war veteran and is confined to a wheelchair. He was knocked out of his wheelchair and his dog was killed. Unknown individuals assisted him back into his wheelchair, placed his deceased dog in his lap and left the area. The victim was transported for treatment at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. Anyone who has information about this incident is requested to contact the Maryland State Police at 410-641-3101, extension “0”. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Pocomoke Police Department are both helping in the investigation.

Pocomoke Crime Report For The Month Of February

Theft    2011-01-31    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Other    2011-01-31    300 Block MARKET STREET    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Theft    2011-01-31    500 Block LINDEN AVENUE    THEFT LESS THAN $100

Other    2011-01-31    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Traffic    2011-02-02    RT 13 NB AT 366    (DRIVING, ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE) MOTOR VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT REQUIRED LICENSE OR PERMIT...

Vehicle Stop    2011-02-02    NO ADDRESS PROVIDED    PERSON DRIVING MOTOR VEHICLE ON HWY.(PUBLIC USE OR PROPERTY) ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE AND PRIVILEDGES

Traffic    2011-02-03    CEDAR STREET AND FOURTH STREET    (KNOWINGLY DRIVING, OWNER KNOWINGLY PERMITTING TO BE DRIVEN) UNINSURED VEHICLE...


Traffic    2011-02-03    ROUTE 13 @ NOCKS    FAILURE OF VEH. TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY

Other    2011-02-03    1100 Block MARKET STREET    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Other    2011-02-03    400 Block BANK STREET    WARRANT

Theft    2011-02-04    700 Block CLARKE AVENUE    THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Other    2011-02-05    600 Block WALNUT STREET    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Other    2011-02-07    NO ADDRESS PROVIDED    WARRANT

Breaking & Entering    2011-02-08    700 Block NINTH STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    2011-02-11    400 Block OXFORD STREET    UNAUTHORIZED USE OF M/V

Other    2011-02-11    200 Block BROAD STREET    WARRANT

Breaking & Entering    2011-02-08    700 Block NINTH STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Theft    2011-02-11    400 Block OXFORD STREET    UNAUTHORIZED USE OF M/V

Other    2011-02-11    200 Block BROAD STREET    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-11    700 Block FOURTH STREET    FALSE STATEMENT TO OFFICER

Theft    2011-02-13    200 Block WALNUT STREET    THEFT: LESS $500VALUE

Other    2011-02-13    800 Block LAUREL STREET    MAL DESTR PROP/VALUE- $500

Drugs    2011-02-13    CYPRESS PARK    CDS: POSS PARAPHERNALIA

Assault    2011-02-13    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    ASSAULT - SECOND DEGREE

Other    2011-02-13    1 Block FRONT STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    2011-02-15    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT SCHEME L/T $1,000

Theft from Vehicle    2011-02-16    1000 Block LYNNHAVEN DRIVE    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Other    2011-02-16    500 Block MARKET STREET    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-16    100 Block NEWTOWNE BOULEVARD    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-17    WILLOW STREET    WARRANT

Other    2011-02-19    1 Block SOMERSET AVENUE    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Other    2011-02-19    SHORT STREET    ATTEMPT BY DRIVER TO ELUDE UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER BY FAILING TO STOP VEHICLE...

Traffic    2011-02-20    RT 13 SB AT POCOMOKE REST    DRIVING VEH. ON HWY AT SPEED EXCEEDING LIMIT

Traffic    2011-02-21    ROUTE 13    WARRANT

Theft from Vehicle    2011-02-22    600 Block LAUREL STREET    THEFT: LESS $500VALUE

Theft    2011-02-22    100 Block MARKET STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100

Arson    2011-02-22    500 Block LAUREL STREET    ARSON/THREAT

Other    2011-02-23    300 Block SECOND STREET    WARRANT

Vehicle Stop    2011-02-23    300 Block SECOND STREET    VIOLATE EXPARTE/PROT ORDER

Other    2011-02-24    300 Block SECOND STREET    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Theft    2011-02-24    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT SCHEME $1,000 - L/T $10,000

Theft    2011-02-25    900 Block MARKET STREET    THEFT $100 - L/T 1,000

Other    2011-02-26    900 Block LAUREL STREET    WARRANT

Theft    2011-02-27    2100 Block OLD SNOW HILL ROAD    THEFT LESS THAN $100.00

Other    2011-02-27    1000 Block LYNN HAVEN DRIVE    ...DID WILLFULLY AND MALICIOUSLY [DESTROY/INJURE/DEFACE/MOLEST]___________(DESCRIBE), THE [REAL/PERSONAL] PROPERTY OF _______(OWNER/LESSEE, ETC.), THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE HAVING A VALUE OF LESS THAN $500.00.

Mudbogging Goes Indoors

MudBogging, for the first time, was taken inside the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in January, through the efforts of Checkered Flag Productions.

Some of the regular drivers from the Gumboro Mudbog were on hand to put their trucks through the last tracks of thick mud before settling down and concentrating on the upcoming season of racing which is just now a few weeks away.

Jared Collins (no photo) driving Orange Crush, in the Modified Class, took first place in the Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Saturday evening shows.

Kelly Hubbard driving High Voltage, in Modified Class, took fourth place Friday night, first place Saturday afternoon and second place Saturday night.

Lee Sturgis who drives Grey Ghost and

Patrick Long the driver of All Night Soldier finished somewhere in the mix of it all but had a great time participating. This put an end to the mudbogging for a few weeks for these guys. The new racing season in Gumboro begins in April and since the first of February the drivers have been busy preparing for the summer of mudbogging.

More stories and photos on mudbogging in our archives........please feel free to browse.

Nancy Grace~ '50 People In 50 Days'

The PPE has been asked to share this information to our readers:

On tonight's episode of Nancy Grace: America's Missing - a show that aims at finding 50 people in 50 days - on HLN

Grace will be conducting an in-depth expose of 32-year-old Venus Stewart from Colon Township, MI, who is thought to have been murdered by her husband after vanishing in April 2010. Venus Stewart walked out to her mailbox to mail a letter on the morning of April 26, 2010. She was never seen again. Drag marks in the yard pointed to signs of a struggle.

Venus Stewart

"Search warrants later revealed blood believed to belong to the 32-year-old mother in her estranged husband’s truck along with a receipt for a shovel, tarp, and gloves. Police believe the young mother of two little girls is dead, but a body has yet to be found. The estranged husband Doug Stewart is now on trial for Stewart’s murder – charged with first degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit first degree premeditated murder. While Venus’s family finds solace with the justice system they want to find their daughter to give her a proper burial."

TIPLINE: 269-483-7611
Missing Since: April 26, 2010
Missing From: Colon Township, Michigan
Classification: Endangered Missing
Age at Disappearance: 32
Height: 5’4”
Weight: 130 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

Warrants Issued

Is it just ironic?

Action seems to continue since the arrest of the Walmart employee Tia Johnson. Johnson was arrested last week and charged with theft from Walmart that had been ongoing in the store for two years. In her statement she admitted to not charging family and friends for some purchases when they shopped at the store and turning in bogus return receipts for cash.

Warrants were issued on February 25, 2011 and served March 2, 2011 on Byrdie Johnson Gibbs and her husband TimmothyL. both of Fruitland, Md. The couple was charged with five counts of con-theft scheme.

Trial date is 4/22/11.

Pictures of Bombs Posted On Facebook Can Get You Alot Of Attention

( March 4, 2011) When a picture or comment is posted on the Internet, it could be there forever for anyone to see. One Ocean City man learned this the hard way last week, when he was arrested and charged with a serious crime because of a picture he posted on his Facebook page.

Authorities contend that Ernesto Garcia-Bristo, 26, posted a picture of himself holding two pipe bombs, along with a comment that he made the bombs to use against another person. The Ocean City bomb squad arrested him Feb. 24 and charged him with possessing a destructive device.

The investigation into Garcia- Bristo’s activities was started by an agent with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement because Garcia-Bristo was supposed to have been deported in 2008, according to the police report. The agent began conducting surveillance of Garcia- Bristo after learning that he was still living in Ocean City.

As part of the investigation, the ICE agent examined Garcia-Bristo’s online Facebook page. The agent was concerned by some of the pictures posted on the page, and contacted the local bomb squad.

According to the statement of charges written by Deputy Fire Marshal Cliff Christello, one picture depicted a Hispanic male with a black ski mask over his face holding “two metallic, oblong cylindrical objects (one approximately half the size of the larger) attached together by what appears to be black electrical tape and connected on top by a thin item similar in size/consistency to a fuse or electrical wiring.” These were believed to be pipe bombs.

A string of online comments below the picture led police to believe Garcia-Bristo was the man in the picture holding the suspected bombs, that he made the suspected bombs in Ocean City and that he threatened to use them against another person.

According to the police report, one comment asked, “And is that one of your creations?” The reply, which police said was written by Garcia- Bristo, said, “C’mon, don’t you remember, Fat Boy, it’s the one we did in 76th, it was a gift for that [expletive]. Thank god they understood, because otherwise BBBBUUUMMM to hell.”


Read more HERE>>

SHORE BEEF & BBQ

FRIDAY'S ALL DAY SPECIAL
Pit beef sandwich
1 side
Soda
$7.50



Check out their new menu of specialty sandwiches!

Standoff In West Ocean City Ends Peacefully

March 04, 2011
Written By: News Editor, Shawn J. Soper

WEST OCEAN CITY -- A West Ocean City man was charged with assault, false imprisonment and other charges this week after a nearly two-hour standoff at his home on Wednesday resulted in one of the largest mobilizations of local law enforcement and emergency services manpower and equipment in recent memory.

Around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported domestic assault in progress on Blue Marlin Drive in West Ocean City. The initial investigation revealed the suspect, identified as Jasun V. Weistling, 37, of Ocean City, had been involved in a domestic altercation involving family members including his children and was highly intoxicated and possibly under the influence of prescription medication, according to police reports.

When deputies arrived, Weistling had fled from the home to the second floor of his detached two-car garage where he kept an office. According to sources, Weistling was self-employed as a day trader on the stock exchange from his home office. The perimeter was quickly secured and the victims of the assault were extracted from the home.

Over the next two-plus hours, Weistling remained in the garage office as the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Maryland State Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) and the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office, continued to deploy massive amounts of manpower and equipment to the scene. SWAT teams in full regalia mobilized along with the Bomb Squad and its robot. Marked and unmarked police cars along with emergency services vehicles lined both sides of the otherwise peaceful street on both sides and in both directions as concerned neighbors looked on from a safe distance.

It was uncertain at the scene if Weistling was armed, or the extent of his arsenal, but Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Colonel Doug Dods confirmed yesterday the suspect was believed to be armed and potentially dangerous.

“When we got a hold of him, he wasn’t armed,” he said. “Family members told us he had a shotgun and a handgun in the garage office, so that raised a whole lot of concerns.”

Multiple attempts to establish communications with Weistling were made by law enforcement officials to no avail. At one point, the suspect’s father implored his son to come out peacefully over a loudspeaker, but the standoff continued. At another point, the Bomb Squad robot was deployed and officers on the scene called for a boom camera, presumably to gain visual access to the interior of the garage.

Finally, around 7:21 p.m., Worcester County Sheriff’s Office deputies were able to take Weistling into custody without further incident. He was transported to PRMC in Salisbury for evaluation. He was later charged with two counts of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, false imprisonment and alcohol intoxication endangerment. Weistling made an initial appearance in District Court yesterday morning and was ordered held on a $50,000 bond.

Dods said the incident had a fairly successful outcome despite concerns for Weistling, and more importantly, the family members involved.

“We’re hoping he gets the help he obviously needs, but he has to answer for his actions,” he said.

Source; mdcoastdispatch.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'JMMB'

Pocomoke City Community Awareness meeting

The next Pocomoke City Community Awareness meeting will be March 19th at 10 am at the Pocomoke Library.

Hat Tip; Dr. Duffy for keeping us informed on these meetings.

Where Can He Work

Better yet who would hire this dude? Why would anyone want to do this to their body?

There's zero chance of getting a decent job anywhere not to mention how sorry he will be that he did this to his body about the time he reaches 50.

Click on the video screen to go to the youtube page and check-out some of the freaks on the right of that page.

A Little More Pocomoke History

Do you remember Dr. Hall?

How about W. H. Clarke & Co. Druggist?

While I was digging through some of my junk I came across this old bottle that I had long forgotten about. We found the bottle in this old house while cleaning up after we bought the house.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The medicine bottle is still about 1/2 full of it's original contents. It smells like a hybrid concoction of maybe 12% Vicks, 8% Robitussin and 80% 90 proof moonshine, yeah that's about right.

All and all it's in pretty good shape for it's age, the label is still very legible even through all the grime and 53 years of collecting dust.

The label that is still attached firmly to the bottle clearly says as follows;

155-969                4-12-58 

Grady Powell

One (1) Teaspoon full in water Three Times A Day

Dr. Hall

W. H. Clarke & Co.

Druggist

Phone 124                   Reg. No. 8141

Pocomoke City                    Maryland

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

 CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

*Miss Hope* Eastern Shore

~COURTNEY BLOXOM BENEFIT~

Last day to register to be in the pageant: March 5th

Tickets on sale now. For more info go to www.bringyourbling.net

100% of the money from this event will be donated to the very special Courtney Bloxom

Try Shore Beef & BBQ For Lunch Today~

Here's the newest place to eat that everyone is talking about

SHORE BEEF & BBQ

THURSDAY SPECIAL

pulled bbq chicken sandwich

1 side order and drink $7.50

While you're there check out the new menu and new specialty sandwiches.

Route 13 South just before T's Corner

**March 26th - special lunch for the local fireman.

details soon.**

Virginia Senator Ralph Northam ~ General Assembly Wrap Up

Legislative Update-

Over the weekend, the General Assembly was able to agree on a package of amendments to the biennial budget, and left Richmond only one day behind schedule. While there were definitely compromises made, I am happy to report that we were able to restore $100 million for health insurance for low income Virginians, $75 million for our public schools, and over $20 million for local law enforcement, to include funding to fill vacant judgeships on the Eastern Shore and in Virginia Beach. We also made significant investments in higher education, community-based services for the disabled, and shoring up the rainy day fund. Looking locally, we provided funding increases for ODU, EVMS, and CHKD.

Aside from the budget, there were some other legislative successes this year. We mandated that insurance providers cover services for many children with autism, protected the Chesapeake Bay by banning phosphorus in lawn fertilizer, and took a major step toward fighting childhood obesity by requiring 150 minutes of PE per week in grades K-8. We also managed to pass an important - though temporary - fix for transportation funding which will allow for the construction of long overdue projects in our area.

There are still many challenges ahead as we begin to emerge from the economic downturn, and I am committed to working with you all to improve our transportation network, increase opportunities for education and employment, and protect our natural resources. I am excited to return to Hampton Roads and spend time listening to your ideas about how we can build on the progress we are making in these areas and others. Maybe most importantly though, I am eager to do my part to help ensure that Virginia stays above the raw politics and negativity that currently characterizes many debates at the national level. Ours is a diverse state within a diverse nation, and we all have our differences. However, I am focused on what we can accomplish together, not what can push us farther apart.

As I begin my bid for re-election to the Senate, I will be making every effort to visit all the communities of the 6th District, and will keep you posted as we put together local public meetings. Please also let us know if there is an event or gathering you would like me to attend. Additionally, I will need your help to return to Richmond, so please contact my aide Matt Strickler at (757) 818-5172 or matt@ralphnortham.com if you would like to volunteer on my campaign between now and November 8. I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Source; www.shoredailynews.com

Saturday At Delmarva Discovery Center

DELMARVA DISCOVERY CENTER

Dr. Seuss Day!!

Come dressed as your favorite Dr. Seuss character!

A reading of Dr. Seuss' book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish at 2:00 PM with a costume contest immediately following.

Winner of the costume contest will receive a free family membership to the Discovery Center

Saturday March 5, 2011
1:00 PM until 3:00 PM

50% OFF admission for locals.

www.delmarvadiscoverycenter.org

Supreme Court Votes In Favor Of Westboro Baptist Church

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled today that the First Amendment protects fundamentalist church members who mount attention-getting, anti-gay protests outside military funerals.

The court voted 8-1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan. The decision upheld an appeals court ruling that threw out a $5 million judgment to the father of a dead Marine who sued church members after they picketed his son's funeral.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the court. Justice Samuel Alito dissented.

"What Westboro said, in the whole context of how and where it chose to say it, is entitled to 'special protection' under the First Amendment," Roberts wrote, "and that protection cannot be overcome by a jury finding that the picketing was outrageous."

Matthew Snyder died in Iraq in 2006 and his body was returned to the United States for burial. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, who have picketed military funerals for several years, decided to protest outside the Westminster, Md., church where Snyder's funeral was to be held.

The Rev. Fred Phelps and other family members who make up most of the Westboro Baptist Church have picketed many military funerals in their quest to draw attention to their incendiary view that U.S. deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

They showed up with their usual signs, including "Thank God for dead soldiers," ''You're Going to Hell," ''God Hates the USA/Thank God for 9/11," and one that combined the U.S. Marine Corps motto, Semper Fi, with a slur against gay men.

The church members drew counter-demonstrators, as well as media coverage and a heavy police presence to maintain order. The result was a spectacle that led to altering the route of the funeral procession.

Several weeks later, Albert Snyder was surfing the Internet for tributes to his son from other soldiers and strangers when he came upon a poem on the church's website that attacked Matthew's parents for the way they brought up their son.

Soon after, Albert Snyder filed a lawsuit accusing the Phelpses of intentionally inflicting emotional distress. He won $11 million at trial, later reduced by a judge to $5 million.

The federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., threw out the verdict and said the Constitution shielded the church members from liability.

Forty-eight states, 42 U.S. senators and veterans groups sided with Snyder, asking the court to shield funerals from the Phelps family's "psychological terrorism."

While distancing themselves from the church's message, media organizations, including The Associated Press, urged the court to side with the Phelps family because of concerns that a victory for Snyder could erode speech rights.

www.2.timesdispatch.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS !!

Theodor Geisel Seuss, better known as the beloved Dr. Seuss
Born: March 2, 1904 In Springfield, Massachusetts
Died: September 24, 1991

"Those who mind don't matter and
Those who matter don't mind." ~Dr. Seuss~

At the time of his death Dr. Seuss (known as Ted) had written and illustrated 44 children's books, including all-time favorites as Green Eggs and Ham and There's a Wocket In My Pocket, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and The Cat in the Hat. His books had been translated into more than 15 languages. Over 200 million copies had found their way into homes and hearts around the entire world.

His honors included two Academy awards, two Emmy awards, a Peabody award and the Pulitzer Prize.

Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book or quote?

Scott Rigell 'Working' For Virginia's Eastern Shore

Working to restore the economic viability of Virginia's Eastern Shore communities, Representative Scott Rigell (VA-02) called on Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar to address issues impacting recreational opportunities at NASA/Wallops Flight Facility in Accomack County and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. In two separate letters to the Secretary, Rigell called on the Department to work with the Eastern Shore on a land swap agreement as well as preserve vital beach parking that plays an integral role in the local economy.

In working to implement a land swap between Accomack County and the NASA/Wallops Flight Facility which would help preserve a local park while moving forward on a new Wallops Research Park, Rigell urged Secretary Salazar to "consider relaxing or modifying" policies that regulate land deals in accordance to monetary gains. Rigell recommended the Department adhere to an acre for acre land swap rather than a dollar for dollar land swap, allowing for the development of a new Wallops Research Park that Accomack has agreed to lease at market rates.

"Accomack County officials are working to create good jobs in their community and NASA is a partner in this effort," wrote Representative Scott Rigell. "Accomack County is committed to building a 32 acre recreational park nearby. I see this course of action as a "win-win" for everyone involved," added Rigell. This proposed expansion would create new, quality jobs for people of the Eastern Shore.

Rigell also petitioned Secretary Salazar on efforts by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to move beach parking on Assateague Island. This is part of FWS's fifteen year conservation plan for the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the Virginia portion of Assateague Island. In his letter, Rep. Rigell emphasized the local communities' desire to meet the Refuge's purpose as a wildlife sanctuary while at the same time preserving all beach parking and public recreation at the National Seashore.

"Our local communities, as well as visitors from across the country, have been alerted to several proposed alternatives that would significantly change the current conservation management plan to reduce direct recreational beach access and eliminate parking facilities for individual vehicles. I am concerned that these alternative parking ideas, to include introducing trolleys or busses to ferry families to and from the beach, are not in the best interests of the people of Accomack County or our country's visitors to the Chincoteague NWR."

There is a concern that this could potentially impact the local and regional tourism based economy of the Eastern Shore.

"Economic viability for Virginia's Eastern Shore communities and recreational opportunities for the Mid-Atlantic Region rely on a continued public investment that must be successfully managed at the Refuge and Seashore. It is essential that any alternative presented during the NEPA EIS Review not negatively impact the local and regional tourism based economy."
www.shoredailynews.com

Last Surviving U.S. WWI Veteran Dies At 110 Year Old

Frank Buckles, the man believed to be the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I died Sunday at the age of 110 at his farm in West Virginia, surrounded by his family.

Frank Buckles, who celebrated his 110th birthday on February 1, lied about his age in order to join the army at age 16. He became one of nearly 5 million Americans who enrolled and served in the war from 1917 to 1918.

In 1941, while working as a civilian in the Phillippines, he was captured by Japanese forces and held prisoner for 38 months during World War II before being rescued by a military raid.

With Buckles' death, only a 109-year-old Australian man and a 110-year-old British woman are believed to still be alive from the estimated 65 million people who served in the war.

Walmart Employee Was Writing Her Own Statement When Officers Arrived

According to Monday's Daily Times newspaper the Walmart employee, Tia Johnson, who was arrested last week while at work was writing her own statement, admitting to the thefts when officers arrived. The arrest took place on February 24th at the Walmart store in Pocomoke City.

Ms. Johnson admitted to helping family and friends steal merchandise from the store and had over a period of two years, faked returns in exchange for money. She also admitted that she would underring some merchandise for her family and friends at check out time. This allowed them to leave without paying for many items.

According to court records, Ms. Johnson is charged with four counts of theft of amounts ranging from $100 to under $10,000, and one count of theft scheme that she had carried out for TWO years.

She was taken before the District Court Commissioner, released on $10,000 bail pending trial. A court date is scheduled for April 12.

Gee, what was she thinking all this time while stealing for her friends and family? How do you walk out of Walmart after stealing something without those annoying beepers going off? And didn't she know that after a time all of this would show up when the books had to be balanced if not at the end of the day certainly at the end of the month? Thieves don't think that far ahead. In fact, thieves don't think at all!

For those of you that don't know, Tia Johnson (along with her boyfriend Clarence Butch Jackson) were the last two people to see Christine Sheddy alive back in 2007 when the young woman went missing.

Her theft scheme probably isn't enough to get her sentenced to jail. Let's just hope this latest incident will make her think back a few years...........

It's on everyone's mind so I may as well say it. After all, we're all wondering the same thing..... where will all this lead and will it lead to anything more?

Widespread Flu Warning Issued For Virginia

The CDC has placed Virginia under a widespread flu alert.

If you're looking to avoid the flu there are several ways the CDC recommends going about it. Their "Take 3" approach to fighting flu is the best way to protect yourself and others against the flu virus.

Number one, the CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine. If you haven't gotten it yet, it's not too late.

Second, the CDC says take the appropriate preventative actions to stop the spread of germs. For example, wash your hands, cover you mouth when you cough and stay home when you're not feeling well.

A recent survey revealed 66 percent of polled Americans disregard the sudden onset of flu symptoms fever, aches, chills, extreme tiredness and instead of seeing a doctor, attend work, school and social events. At the same time, 75 percent of those Americans were aware of the possibility of spreading the flu to others.

Lastly, the CDC says to take your medicine. If the doctor prescribes medication, follow those orders.
www.shoredailynews.com

Virginia General Assembly Adjorns, Passes Budget

Virginia's House and Senate unanimously passed amendments to the state's $80 billion budget Sunday, ending the 2011 General Assembly one day late.

The compromise government spending blueprint through June 2012 offers more aid for public schools, for the profoundly disabled and for state and local government pensioners. It also provides state aid to brake the meteoric rise in tuition at state-supported colleges and universities.

However, Gov. Bob McDonnell ended up with only about a fifth of the $150 million he asked for in December for transportation from last year's general fund budget and reductions he sought for school funding were reversed. Plums he proposed for the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and a 2012 sailing regatta were rejected by House and Senate members.

McDonnell said he was strongly considering restoring some of the funding for transportation when he sends the budget bill back to legislators for the April 6 veto session.

The House and Senate did give the Democratic governor a victory by passing the transportation funding package he proposed, including about $3 billion in debt. It represents the biggest state cash infusion for Virginia highway upkeep and construction in 25 years.

It passed on a 97-0 vote in the House and a 40-0 vote in the Senate, the first time in years that it cleared without dissent. Before they left, legislators reconvened in a special session and recessed until April 4, the day they return to begin redrawing the state's House and Senate districts.

The budget does some deferred state fiscal housekeeping, depositing $114 million into the "rainy day" reserves depleted by a three-year economic downturn. That was $64 million more than McDonnell sought.

It also gives a break to most of the state's merchants by ending the accelerated sales tax. That means that only the largest retailers still have to send the state two checks -- for June and July sales tax collections -- instead of one. The sales-tax speedup was enacted at the depth of the recession to help cover a budget shortfall.

Public schools receive about $75 million more than the $5.5 billion that McDonnell had proposed while the House wanted to cut McDonnell's proposal by about $93 million.

Also included in the sweetened sum is about $16 million that prevents continued losses among the state's smallest and poorest school districts.

Public television's state support was cut by about $400,000, or one-tenth, but it survived the elimination of all state aid the House had proposed.

Teachers and state employees hired before last July 1 avoid a 2 percent net pay cut they would have taken under McDonnell's budget. The new budget places on employees the responsibility for paying a 5 percent share of their retirement into the Virginia Retirement System. But it provides $7 million to offset the burden by providing a 5 percent public employee raise, their first since 2007. McDonnell's budget provided only a 3 percent raise.

To slow recent state college tuition spikes, the budget allocates more than $100 million for financial aid and to increase the number of slots for in-state students at flagship state universities such as Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia.

Also addressed was a scathing Justice Department report on major deficiencies in the outmoded hospital-style institutions where the intellectually disabled are warehoused. The budget provided at least $30 million more in emergency funding.

The money goes into a new Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Trust Fund that McDonnell proposed to take urgent steps to head off a federal lawsuit alleging Virginia has flaunted the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It also provides nearly $47 million to help the disabled and mentally ill move into community care facilities supported under Medicaid.

The budget restores more than $64 million for reimbursements to Medicaid providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, doctors and dentists, who were facing reductions on July 1.

Businesses get some breaks. About $6 million in fees are eliminated, including fees the Health Department imposes for inspections that are as high as $285 for restaurants and $100 for other businesses.

There are about $10 million worth of tax incentives for Virginia vineyards and ports and for research and development.

But McDonnell got only about half of the $3 million increase he wanted in a discretionary fund his administration could use to romance Hollywood into filming blockbusters in Virginia.

Lawmakers rejected McDonnell's proposal to spend nearly $70 million to keep up with explosive growth in the state's civil commitment program for sexually violent predators. Instead, they authorized the double-bunking of up to 150 of the more than 200 sex offenders being held at a Burkeville psychiatric facility for treatment after their prison sentences have ended.
Source; www.shoredailynews.com

A Comment Worthy Of a Post

" This bill is a true game changer on how we monitor the worst of the worst."
In response to the statement above currently 90% of registered offenders in Maryland, are grouped into the tier III status, currently there are over 4,000 in that group. Not any one case is the same, not every person who is tier III is the worst of the worst. In fact many of these individuals are working very hard to reclaim their lives, and be productive members of society. This is why this bill will not work:
RE: HB 594/ SB 208

To provide a brief background on why I feel so passionately about this, my husband is a three time combat veteran, a Maryland, citizen, and a registered offender. He is grouped as a tier three offender, however he is not what Delegate Mcdermott is illustrating in the proposition of this HB 594.
I understand that HB 594 was created to aide law enforcement in ensuring the safety of children. We have a three year old son ourselves, and want the utmost safety for him as well. However there are many issues with HB 594; which outnumber the benefit of this bill for the community.

First, Article 16 of the Maryland constitution states,” No law to inflict cruel and unusual pains and penalties ought to be made in any case or anytime hereafter.” The GPS ankle bracelet inflicts pain, and I could not imagine the horrendous suffering it would cause as a lifetime requirement. I witnessed my husband have difficulties walking, sleeping, and bathing on a daily basis. He also sustained scars from multiple skin abrasions to the same area, from wearing the GPS ankle bracelet. This bill would make daily life and maintaining gainful employment impossible for the registrant.
This also raises the issue of how to successfully manage homeless registrants. There is a large population of homeless individuals currently on the registry. The GPS unit would require the homeless wearer to have ready access, at least every twenty four hours, to an electrical outlet. There would be simply to many issues to introduce this requirement to homeless registrants. However it would be unethical to subject certain tier III offenders to the requirement, and not others, solely based on their housing status. In fact the idea of lifetime monitoring may make the idea of homelessness an attractive alternative, and we could end up with more registrants who are difficult to track.
In fact GPS monitoring would provide no real deterrent for crime. Where the GPS system can inform law enforcement about the whereabouts of the registrant, the GPS can not track the actual activities the registrant is doing. The GPS has no possibility of predicting a new crime before it is committed, or of telling while it is happening.
The GPS technology is also not infallible. The GPS technology relies on cell phone towers, and would be subject to many dead zones, which would render a false alarm signal. Just like any computerized hardware it would also require constant updates, and maintenance The cost of manpower to maintain and repair such equipment would be astronomical.
The requirements of this bill would end up costing our tax payers billions, it is not possible to assume the offender will be able to pay for it. If they are not able to function, they will not be able to work. Is this worth paying billions for when we know it will not deter crime?
I believe our tax dollars are better spent on something that would. I strongly recommend that more emphasis be placed on the funding of mental health treatment programs, prison outreach, community reintegration, for registered offenders. With such programs actively in place, our crime rates would significantly lesson, and we would all benefit.

Pocomoke City Police and WCBI Investigate Incident

NEWS RELEASE:  DATE & TIME:    Friday, February 25, 2011 @ 11:25PM  
CBI Case #  11-0054  
LOCATION:  900blk Laurel Street, Pocomoke City, Worcester County, Maryland
CRIME:   Assault and CDS Distribution
VICTIM:   Edward Schmidt – Snow Hill, Maryland 
ACCUSED:  Darryl Kyshek WISE, Jr. – 900blk Laurel Street, Pocomoke City, Maryland   Black / Male / 19 years of age
CHARGES:   First & Second Degree Assault
                      Reckless Endangering
                      Possession with Intent
                      Possession of Marijuana
                      Possession of Cocaine
                      Wearing  & Carrying a Weapon
                      Distribution within 1000’ of a school

NARRATIVE:  On the evening of Friday, February 25, 2011 members of the Pocomoke City Police Department began an investigation into a First Degree Assault and requested the assistance of the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation.

It was learned that as a result of a drug deal gone bad, the victim was struck multiple times with a hammer and then stabbed in the back.  The victim was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center where he was admitted and is being treated for multiple injuries.

In the early morning hours following the assault WISE was taken into custody without incident at his home.  The significant amount of CDS which was recovered on his person also supports the Charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute.

WISE appeared before a District Court Commissioner and is being held at the Worcester County Detention Center on a $250,000.00 bond.

Why we shoot deer

Why we shoot deer in the wild (A letter from someone who wants to remain anonymous, who farms, writes well and actually tried this)

I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in a stall, feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and transport it home.

I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my rope. The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes, my deer showed up - 3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope. The deer just stood there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted the end so I would have a good hold.

The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step towards it, it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope .., and then received an education. The first thing that I learned is that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that rope.

That deer EXPLODED. The second thing I learned is that pound for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some dignity. A deer-- no Chance. That thing ran and bucked and twisted and pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly as good an idea as I had originally imagined. The only upside is that they do not have as much stamina as many other animals.

A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the blood flowing out of the big gash in my head. At that point, I had lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil creature off the end of that rope.

I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that the feeling was mutual. Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where I had cleverly arrested the deer's momentum by bracing my head against various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation we were in. I didn't want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder - a little trap I had set before hand...kind of like a squeeze chute. I got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope back.

Did you know that deer bite?

They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when ..... I reached up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they just bite you and slide off to then let go. A deer bites you and shakes its head--almost like a pit bull. They bite HARD and it hurts.

The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My method was ineffective.

It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now), tricked it. While I kept it busy tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose.

That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day.

Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, and their hooves are surprisingly sharp ... I learned a long time ago that, when an animal -like a horse - strikes at you with their hooves and you can't get away easily, the best thing to do is try to make a loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape.

This was not a horse. This was a deer, so obviously, such trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried to turn and run. The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit you in the back of the head. Deer may not be so different from horses after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head and knocked me down.

Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on you while you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering your head.

I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went away. So now I know why when people go deer hunting they bring a rifle with a scope......to sort of even the odds!!

All these events are true so help me God... An Educated Farmer

I would like to buy this dog but as you can see it's not for sale!

GENERAL PUBLIC NOTICE:

Please be advised I am sick to death of receiving questions about my dog who mauled 3 Muslims sitting on a rug next to my back wall, 6 illegal's wearing Obama T-shirts, 4 Democrats wearing Pelosi T-shirts, 2 rappers, 5 phone operators who asked me to press #1 for English, 9 teenagers with their pants hanging down past their cracks, 8 customer service desk people speaking in broken English, 10 flag burners, and a Pakistani taxi driver.

FOR THE LAST TIME ... THE DOG IS NOT FOR SALE !!!

Ongoing Investigation Finally Gets The Thief Arrested!

Tia Lynn Johnson was arrested on Thursday by WCBI officer,Frank Wright, at her place of employment -- Walmart.Once handcuffed, she was escorted and paraded through the store to her ride to jail. She was released the same day on a $10,000 bond.

Apparently WCBI has been working on this case with the cooperation from Walmart since 2009 and have Tia on video. This time she can't she can't lie her way out of it and this time she WILL have to talk!

For those that don't know, Tia is the girlfriend (or former girlfriend)of Jr. Jackson who is being housed at ECI in Westover, sentenced to 3 years for burglary. These two, it has always been believed, were two of the last people to ever see Chistine Sheddy alive back in 2007.


WCBI, no doubt, must have become suspicious when Tia came up with quite a bit of money to bail Jr. out a few years ago and then somehow found more money to retain former assistand State's Attorney Kathy Smith to represent Jr.


Regardless of what she did with the stolen money it was the WCBI this entire time that has been lying low in the "trenches" trying to nail Tia with something, anything to get her to talk.......short of prying it out of her mouth!


Great job Investigator Frank Wright and the rest of the WCBI! What a great group you are to have been working on this for so very long and never losing sight that justice must always remain supreme.

And a giant step, perhaps, for the Christine Sheddy case.

The Beautiful Eastern Shore

Yesterday was one of the disagreeable  days on Delmarva! If you had to be out in the weather you know just exactly what I am talking about. Oh, that wind and the pelting rain. Put simply, the day was just plain miserable!

I noticed  around 2:00 that the clouds had parted in some areas and the skies turned that beautiful color of Delmarva blue and the sun,  in all
 of its brightness, warmed us.                                                       

And, as always, remarkable beauty appeared in the skies...................

These were taken yesterday in the beautiful rural countryside of Preston, Maryland.  The photographer of these photos waited all day after the rain to snap these photos.

When you have lived on the Eastern Shore all your life sometimes you just know what comes next.

~Thanks for the photos Jordan!~

Field Notes By Delegate Mike McDermott

Observations and Reflections on Legislative Activities

By Delegate Mike McDermott

February 21st-25th 2011

• Monday prior to session, I received a nice visit from folks from the Catholic Conference all hailing from northern Worcester County. Mondays is a big afternoon for various groups to come by and meet with their respective legislators for lobbying purposes. It is always a pleasure for groups to come by from back home. We exchanged a few ideas on pending legislation while agreeing to disagree on capital punishment.

• Monday the House TEA Party Caucus held a meeting prior to session and was visited by a large number of patriots from Queen Anne’s County. We were addressed by the President of the Maryland AFP, Charles Lollar, who encouraged the membership for taking a stand on fiscal restraint in the House of Delegates. Pres. Lollar agreed to do all he could to insure that the AFP joined the effort by showing up once a week to take a stand in the House Galleries. We also reviewed a short legislative list which we will vote on next Monday.

• Monday night we had a special presentation from Delegate Frick (D) in honor of Washington’s Birthday. In the House, the Black Caucus gets to pick the speaker for Martin Luther King Day, the Republican Caucus picks for Lincoln’s Birthday, and the Democratic Caucus picks for President’s Day. The delegate made an attempt to infuse some sarcastic humor into his speech on President Washington, -but it fell flat. It seemed like a time that could have been used to lift and inspire was wasted.

• Tuesday morning, some of the first bills starting trickling onto the floor for Second Reader. This process starts slow, but it will build to a fever pitch in time. The first few bills are ones where there is general agreement on both sides of the isle. Often they are technical bills which only seek to clarify provisions in the law, and they usually move forward quickly with little or no debate. During Second Reader, amendments are often offered to the bills. Each one of these must be offered by a delegate or by the Chairman if the amendment was added by the Committee hearing the bill in the first place.

• Tuesday in Judiciary, the following bills were reviewed:
1. HB-135: This bill seeks to increase the court fines and costs to be utilized to fund victim service organizations. This is an interesting bill, but there was some concern that one organization would be getting preferential treatment through the creation of this funding source, while other organizations would have to continue competing for available grant funds through the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Public Safety. Many victims of crime came forward to support this legislative effort. Their stories can be heart wrenching, and it can be difficult to hear these tragedies told by heartbroken family members.
2. HB-353: This bill seeks to repeal Mandatory Minimum Sentencing in Maryland for drug related offenses. Supporters of the bill want judges to have more ability to sentence criminals to treatment facilities or other similar sentencing arrangements by providing much more latitude in sentencing. Ironically, this bill was created to help us get tough on drug crimes and was a means of dealing with many liberal judges from the western shore who would not provide lengthy incarceration for even repeat offenders. I hope this bill never moves out of the Committee.
3. HB-359: Would make it a crime if a person sells drugs to a minor which leads to the minor’s death. While this seems strange, this proposed law mimics current Federal Law and is not currently a crime in Maryland. There was compelling testimony from a family regarding the tragic death of their 17 year old son due to drug abuse. This bill made sense and appears to fill several loop holes currently on the books.
4. HB-454: This bill would provide for the ability of a judge to order specific restitution in cases involving Identity Theft. We heard testimony from several professionals detailing the costs often associated with this crime and the burden it places on the victims.
5. HB-458: This bill would prohibit the release of a person’s arrest record to anyone outside of the criminal justice system for any non-violent offenses which occurred more than 10-years prior to the request for information. This bill stirred debate as it could potentially limit the ability of an organization to screen for someone previously convicted of theft or embezzlement. The idea behind the bill was to limit the exposure people face due to previous criminal history so their employment opportunities would not be limited. The committee sees many bills of this nature which seek to codify the idea of a “second chance” by diminishing, eliminating, or otherwise hiding the history or previous actions of an individual. They are well intended, but fraught with problems.
6. HB-504: This is a straight forward bill which seeks to limit the amount of time a person may be sentenced to do local time in a county jail. Currently a person can serve up to 18-months locally. This bill changes that to 12-months. Several wardens testified about the cost associated with the extra time and the failure of the state to continue their reimbursement program based on a set per diem amount. As this would further burden the Department of Corrections in Maryland, this bill is probably not going anywhere. In fact, I could envision the state trying to extend local time as this would reduce that same burden borne by the state.
7. HB-599: This bill would require law enforcement officers to secure a Search Warrant prior to utilizing any type of GPS tracking device on a vehicle or a person. Traditionally, courts have held that the use of limited GPS style tracking is an acceptable practice as it merely enhances an officer’s ability to follow a vehicle as if the officer were in a vehicle tailing the suspect. Extended use of these systems generally requires a warrant. This bill would put an undue burden on law enforcement’s ability to watch the bad guys.
8. HB-606: This bill would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana by making possession of less than an ounce a Civil Infraction punishable by a fine of $100.00. There are strong arguments on both sides and the marijuana lobby is really pushing hard in the General Assembly this year. While this sounds like a small amount of marijuana, when packaged for sale and distribution, an ounce is the equivalent of about 26-“dime” ($10.00) bags on the street. This was clearly demonstrated by the law enforcement community who attended the hearing. I think the bill has some significant problems. The amount was clearly too much and there was thought that this limitation may limit the arrest of major players who have small amounts of the drug coupled with the elements of a large scale operation.

There was an argument put forward that these small amount arrests are a waste of law enforcement resources and officer’s time could be put too much better use. I have no argument there, but the answer could be found in simply allowing officers to issue a ticket instead of arresting the individual. This was also discussed as a way to improve the process. This bill spawned a good discussion and which may result in a modified bill being offered or some other targeted legislation.
9. HB-801: This bill would apply and extend victim rights to the victims of all crimes and not just those affected by violent crimes. This is a good idea, but the costs associated with the fiscal note may make it difficult to implement at the present time.

• Wednesday, in Judiciary, the following bills were reviewed:
1. HB-351: This bill would return the limited duty of assigning guardianship of a person to the jurisdiction of the Orphan’s Court in certain instances. The law was modified in recent years with the assumption that the judges were all attorneys. This change would merely take the law back to its original form.
2. HB-363: This bill seeks to modify the standard by which the charge of Manslaughter by Vehicle or Vessel could be applied. The bill presenters believe the burden of proof is too high and, therefore, the law cannot be applied in cases of clear gross negligence. We heard from many family members tell of the tragic loss of their loved ones brought on by, in many cases, the apparent gross negligence of an individual who received little or no punishment for their offense due to the standard of criminal negligence being applied in Maryland.

These folks have been trying to see this standard changed for years. Their frustration with Chairman Vallario was quite apparent and they pleaded with him to allow the bill to be voted on by the committee. Up till now, the bill has always stayed “in the drawer” and the committee has never had a chance to vote.
3. HB-523: This bill creates a new tax on out of state attorneys who are allowed to take on a case in Maryland. It would place a $100.00 charge per case that would be utilized to fund the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program. This is a fund set up to provide help in paying back student loans for law students who agree to practice law in underserved areas. Taxing lawyers may be the only tax that receives my support.
4. HB-779: The bill seeks to redefine the definition of “operator” as it relates to the crime of Manslaughter by Vehicle. It would allow that person would still be considered an “operator” for the purpose of being charged if they failed to secure a load properly or failed to clean up or mark a road hazard they created. If they failed to secure a trailer hitch properly and the load came detached and caused a death they could be charged under this proposed bill.

I saw some problem with this bill in the way it may affect commercial trucking interests and liabilities. Of course, nothing keeps one from being held civilly responsible in these cases, but the issue of seeking criminal charges is another matter. In many of these types of cases, there are certainly charges on the books which apply to the violations, but the punishment is often limited to a fine or very limited jail time. In some of these cases, there is a reckless disregard which ends a life and no sense of justice for the families who remain. Again, we heard compelling testimonies highlighting the need to address this issue.
5. HB-834: This would change the name of the Orphan’s Court to Estate Court. It was said that the name of the court is often a source of confusion for the public and no one is quite sure about what services the Orphan’s Court provides. The Orphan’s Court Judges I have spoken with have no issue with the name change.
6. HB-839: This bill would allow for certain operations of a motor vehicle to be included under the charge of Reckless Endangerment. Currently, vehicle operation is not included in this charge. Several prosecutors testified about the need for this charge and how it would help them label specific conduct that is often difficult to prosecute under existing charges. I agree with the premise, but the wording in the bill was a little confusing and may need to be cleaned up or amended to make it better.
7. HB-930: This bill would require that anyone seeking to hold office as an Orphan’s Court Judge for Baltimore County would need to be an attorney in good standing with the local Bar Association. We recently saw this change in Baltimore City. Currently in Baltimore County, the Orphan’s Court judiciary is fully comprised of attorneys; however this would clearly affect future elections. Generally, these types of bills for one specific jurisdiction are considered “local courtesy” bills and are moved along if the full delegations from that district (or districts affected) are in agreement. That appears to be the case with this bill.

• Thursday, a special joint session was held in the House for the election of the State Treasurer. This is done by secret ballot with everyone in attendance, including the Governor and Lt. Governor. The ballot had two names, Nancy Kopp and William Campbell. Kopp (D) being the current Treasurer and Campbell being the recent Republican nominee for State Comptroller. The vote should have been a no brainer for the Democrats. The ballots are marked and turned into the Clerks who deliver them to the Chief Clerk to be counted in front of the Assembly with all of the officials looking on. It became very interesting as the votes were read, aloud by the Chief Clerk and she started calling out votes for “Chuck Brown” and a few other write-in candidates. It seems many of my democratic colleagues were making a joke of the voting without realizing they were risking the election of Kopp in the process. She had to receive 95 votes to secure her election, and, as the voting progressed, the laughter died down to an eerie quiet as their joke looked like it just might backfire. If they did not have a clear 95 votes for Kopp, she could not be elected. After some time, she eventually reached the magic number and the Democratic leadership breathed a collective sigh of relief. I have to say, they were a true embarrassment today in plain view of the public. We are there to serve the public, and playing games with the voting process does not send the right message. Watching them sweat for awhile…priceless!

• Thursday we voted for the first time on Third Reader Bills. All but one of the bills was pretty much unanimous. The one bill that caused some stir dealt with continuing the funding for a commission to study the effects of immigration on the State of Maryland. Funding for the commission has a cost of 25 thousand a year and the questions they are charged with answering are anything but critical of illegal immigration. There is not even a mention in the study criteria to find out about the cost to our Criminal Justice system or the adverse economic impact on our local, county, and state government entities. These questions were raised on the floor, but ultimately the bill passed. Here is a list of the other bills which passed today:
• Thursday afternoon, the Judiciary Committee met for an extended meeting and late voting session. Hearings were conducted for the following bills:
1. HB-402: This bill would reduce the time tables and grounds for Absolute Divorce. It would change the requirements on cohabitation and reduces the time frame from 12-months to 6-months period of separation prior to a divorce being granted.
2. HB-423: This bill would enhance the penalties associated with Criminal Nonsupport and Desertion of a deadbeat parent.
3. HB-424: This bill would provide an extension of Child Support payments for kids who are still in high school but have not reached 19 years of age. Currently, support ends at age 18 regardless of whether or not a child has completed high school.
4. HB-653: This bill would define the way medical payments are handled in custody situations involving child support. The custodial parent would assume responsibility for the first $250.00 of medical expenses not reimbursed by insurance with the balance being worked out between both parents by decree.
5. HB-770: This bill actually attempts to give certain pets a different standing in the eyes of the court when it comes to them being parceled out as community property in divorce settlements. The bill outlines potential visitation rights, etc. We had a judge testify in this case and asked the Committee to not approve this bill. He was concerned at the time that would need to be spent dealing with a pet custody hearing. I think the judge is right. Pets hold a special place in our hearts, particularly if we do not have children; but giving them this type of status before the courts is dangerous.
6. HB-835: This would change the statute of limitations on Child and Spousal Support Contempt Proceedings. Instead of a contempt order being good for 3-years, they would remain active for up to 12-years.
7. HB-837: This is an interesting bill that would provide that a deadbeat spouse could not shelter a windfall settlement from their Child Support demands. It would allow for the courts to require the parent to provide support funding from the windfall.
8. HB-1052: This bill seeks to level the field between a man and a woman before the court when it comes to custody arrangements. The bill provides for a presumptive assumption that joint custody arrangements are generally in the best interest of children. There was much debate on this bill. The testimony lasted for a couple of hours with story after story of men who indicated that they had been denied proper custody rights by a judge. There were good points made on both sides of the argument.

• On Thursday following the hearing session, the Judiciary Committee held a voting session on several bills previously heard. The following is a synopsis of the bill status. A ruling of “Unfavorable” means the bill is dead having been voted down in committee. A ruling of “Favorable” indicates that the bill garnered sufficient support to move it out of committee and onto the whole House for a vote.

Bills Voted Favorable:
HB-136
HB-178
HB-302
HB-349
HB-351
HB-523
HB-626
HB-799

Bills Voted Unfavorable:

HB-304

HB-325

HB-426

HB-434
HB-458

HB-471

HB-483

HB-504
HB-834
HB-885

• Friday, the Judiciary spent long hours hearing testimony from both sides of the Gay Marriage bills. These are HB-55, HB-175, and SB-116 (having passed out of the Senate yesterday on a vote of 25-22). The chamber was packed out and the overflow stood in the hallways and in the large caucus room with a live broadcast. Panels rotated in and out, pro and con, every hour going long into the evening. The best arguments have been made against the bills by a law professor who addressed the bills purely from a civil law perspective. Looking at the historical nature of marriage between one man and one woman is so ingrained in our law, changing the definition will cause great destruction in many aspects too numerous to calculate. For that reason alone, these are poorly crafted bills.

I do not believe there are enough votes to defeat these bills in the Judiciary Committee. They may well get out with the minimum 12 vote count and find the battle moving to the floor of the House. In the House right now, it is a 50-50 proposition, but there is a lot of vote counting going on by the ruling party whips.

I will be working with others to submit amendments to any approved bills to make them about Civil Unions as opposed to the redefinition of marriage. This will be a difficult task.

I would imagine that we will vote on this sometime next week. I encourage folks to make phone calls and emails to my Democratic colleagues on the Judiciary Committee. The Republicans are not in dispute.